# Flaming urine
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 9, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583 "2002-12-09T19:48:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/1 "2002-12-09T19:48:21Z")
We’ve all heard the myth of the guy who drank so much booze that when he peed on the fire his urine went up like lighter fluid.
My question is, is it possible to drink enough booze to make your urine flammable?
Anything else that will do it?
Any documented instances of flaming pee?
(I’m looking for alternative fuels for my car.)
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### Author:  [@Superspy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superspy)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/2 "2002-12-09T20:01:53Z")
A friend sent me this link…it might help back your point 😃
[http://www.freakhole.com/go?pic=5566&s=recent&p=1](http://www.freakhole.com/go?pic=5566&s=recent&p=1)
notice the beer can on the back of the car…😉
P.S. Whatever you do, and no matter how much you like that pic, dont…i repeat dont surf that site. It’s disgusting.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/3 "2002-12-09T20:02:47Z")
You mean I can write my name in the snow with fire?
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### Author:  [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/4 "2002-12-09T20:11:04Z")
I don’t really even have to say what I think of the thread title, do I?
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### Author:  [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/5 "2002-12-09T20:13:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \*
> \*\*I don’t really even have to say what I think of the thread title, do I? \*\*
Band name!
Ha! I finally got one!
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/6 "2002-12-09T20:25:17Z")
As to the OP, no it cannot be done. One would be dead of acute alcohol poisoning looooooooooooong before concentrations of alcohol in the urine reached sufficient proof to burn.
Unless you’re talking about how it burns when you pee. That’s a whole 'nother issue.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/7 "2002-12-09T20:27:59Z")
_Scuse me Miss, need a light?_
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### Author:  [@Rug\_Burn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rug_Burn)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/8 "2002-12-09T20:42:47Z")
Sure it’s flameable; but it needs a catalyst like a kidney stone to be truely effective.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/9 "2002-12-09T20:43:16Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \*
> \*\*As to the OP, no it cannot be done. One would be dead of acute alcohol poisoning looooooooooooong before concentrations of alcohol in the urine reached sufficient proof to burn. \*\*
Just to give some figures, a lethal blood alcohol concentration is 0.6 % (or less). I doubt that urine could become more concentrated than this, because it would take some time for the kidneys to process the blood, and you’ld be dead before that.
The minimum proof recommended to flambe food is 60, or 30 percent, which I assume is close to the minimum concentration of an alcohol-water mixture that would be flammable.
Therefore the minimum concentration of alcohol needed to produce flammable urine is about 50 times higher than one that would kill you.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/10 "2002-12-09T20:50:50Z")
Giving yourself a “urinary tract enema” with vodka would probably do the trick. I bet that’d hurt A LOT ! Probably make things shrivel up and drop off too. Guess it all depends on how badly you want flaming pee.
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### Author:  [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/11 "2002-12-09T21:11:04Z")
As a matter of fact, I’ve _actually done this!_
No, really, I have. I brought along a small can of Ronson lighter fluid on a camping trip, and then waited for the proper moment when everyone else was away from the fire but could still see me. I gave everyone a side profile, unzipped my pants (but did not let the sea otter out to play) and squirted most of the contents of the can onto the campfire. Big flames, big laughs.
But it won’t exactly get you into Oxford. I shouldn’t have to tell you not to try this–it’s alarmingly unwise, because the flame can creep up the stream, and you know where it’s being held.
This has to be a fairly old maneuver since I learned it from my father, who was a fantastic role model, let me tell you. My guess would be that some joker decided not to let anyone else in on the trick one night, and the story got around.
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### Author:  [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/12 "2002-12-09T22:38:56Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Rug Burn \*
> \*\*Sure it’s flameable; but it needs a catalyst like a kidney stone to be truely effective. \*\*
“I dunno, what happened maw…but I just shot the dawg!”
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### Author:  [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2002, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/13 "2002-12-10T15:27:01Z")
How about besides alcohol?
Will drinking sterno do the trick?
Anything else?
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### Author:  [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/14 "2002-12-10T15:33:09Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Sofa King \*
> \*\*As a matter of fact, I’ve _actually done this!_
>
> No, really, I have. I brought along a small can of Ronson lighter fluid on a camping trip, and then waited for the proper moment when everyone else was away from the fire but could still see me. I gave everyone a side profile, unzipped my pants (but did not let the sea otter out to play) and squirted most of the contents of the can onto the campfire. Big flames, big laughs.
>
> But it won’t exactly get you into Oxford. I shouldn’t have to tell you not to try this–it’s alarmingly unwise, because the flame can creep up the stream, and you know where it’s being held.
>
> This has to be a fairly old maneuver since I learned it from my father, who was a fantastic role model, let me tell you. My guess would be that some joker decided not to let anyone else in on the trick one night, and the story got around. \*\*
:eek:
My uncle did something similar back in the 70’s. Only with charcoal lighter fluid. The fire shot into the can, exploded on him, and ruined his polyesther leisure suit. And 72% of his skin, which suffered 3rd degree burns.
I’ll stick to lighting farts…
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2002, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/15 "2002-12-10T15:52:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Scylla \*
> \*\*Will drinking sterno do the trick?
> \*\*
Since Sterno contains methanol I suspect it will kill you even quicker that ethanol.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/16 "2002-12-10T16:20:12Z")
Your pee will reek of **The Andromeda Strain**.
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### Author:  [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/17 "2002-12-10T16:20:18Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Colibri \*
> \*\*Since Sterno contains methanol I suspect it will kill you even quicker that ethanol. \*\*
Unless your town is hit by the Andromeda Strain.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2002, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/18 "2002-12-10T16:21:53Z")
_puts keyboard back in holster_
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### Author:  [@Docklands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docklands)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flaming-urine/141583/19 "2002-12-10T17:32:59Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by Sofa King_
> \*\*As a matter of fact, I’ve actually done this!
>
> No, really, I have. I brought along a small can of Ronson lighter fluid on a camping trip, and then waited for the proper moment when everyone else was away from the fire but could still see me. I gave everyone a side profile, unzipped my pants (but did not let the sea otter out to play) and squirted most of the contents of the can onto the campfire. Big flames, big laughs.
>
> But it won’t exactly get you into Oxford. I shouldn’t have to tell you not to try this–it’s alarmingly unwise, because the flame can creep up the stream, and you know where it’s being held.\*\*
I don’t know about that. While I was at Oxford I did the exact same thing using the fire that we had built to burn our lecture notes after finals.
[Nostalgia]What japes we had![/Nostalgia]